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Department of Psychology Introduction B.A. with a Major in Psychology
Distinction 1009 Behavioral Sciences Building (BSB) Students interested in an education that emphasizes an understanding of human behavior should consider a major in psychology. Psychology as a major/minor can lead to a broad range of career possibilities. An education that focuses on behavior principles is valuable for anyone whose future involves interacting with others. Psychologists pursue careers in such areas as clinical services, health services, business, industry, testing, education, and behavioral research. There are plenty of career opportunities for students with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, particularly in the areas of social work, health care, business and human resources. Career opportunities in some specializations may require a master’s degree, while career opportunities in others require a doctorate. Therefore, students should take time to examine their own interests, values, and goals in addition to job requirements and career options in their area of interest before embarking on an educational journey in psychology. The Department of Psychology offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Psychology. A student has the option of completing a general or applied psychology concentration. Students may graduate with departmental distinction in either program. Both concentrations require students to take an introductory course in psychology, as well as courses in research methods, writing, and statistics. The general psychology concentration is appropriate for students who want to emphasize psychology within the context of a general liberal arts education. This concentration provides students with a strong base of knowledge for understanding the theories and scientific method of psychology. Many students choose this concentration when they are considering continuing their education beyond the bachelor’s level, but students go to graduate school from either concentration. The applied psychology concentration is designed to give a student not only a strong base in the core curriculum of psychology, but also an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field. Students under the applied concentration take an additional three courses to fulfill their requirements: testing, fieldwork, and one in industrial/organizational, interviewing, interventions, or group dynamics. Major with Departmental Distinction Students may graduate with distinction in either the applied or general concentrations. Students who are considering attending graduate school should follow the program for majoring with distinction. In addition to completing the requirements for the general or applied degrees, students will need to take two psychology lab courses, an advanced math course, and two lab courses in biology, chemistry, or physics. See below for details. B.A. with a Major in Psychology Majors in psychology must complete a concentration in either general psychology or applied psychology. Students who declare a major in psychology must complete the following preparatory courses, which are prerequisites for enrollment in many upper-level psychology courses.
Students must earn a minimum 2.40/4.00 GPA in these courses with no grade in any of these courses lower than a C. Students who do not meet these requirements will be put on probation in the major. To be reinstated to full status in the major, students must complete two other psychology courses at UIC and earn a 3.0/4.0 GPA in those two courses to remain in the major. Students must complete the two additional courses within one semester of being notified that they are on probation. If a student has completed additional psychology courses while taking the four required preparatory courses, those additional courses will be counted as courses needed to be removed from probation. Degree Requirements—General Psychology Concentration To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Psychology degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
LAS Course Requirements See Course Requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for a list of courses to fulfill this requirement. Major Requirements
a Students preparing for a graduate degree in psychology should follow the Major with Departmental Distinction. Electives
To view a recommended plan of study for the major in General Psychology, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp. Degree Requirements—Applied Psychology Concentration To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Psychology degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
LAS Course Requirements See Course Requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for a list of courses to fulfill this requirement. Major Requirements
a Students preparing for a graduate degree in psychology should follow the program outlined for the Major with Departmental Distinction. Electives
To view a recommended plan of study for the major in Applied Psychology, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp. Degree Requirements—Major with Departmental Distinction To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Psychology degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
LAS Course Requirements See Course Requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for a list of courses to fulfill this requirement. Major Requirements
a Students preparing for a graduate degree in psychology should follow the Major with Departmental Distinction. Required Collateral Courses
Electives
To view a recommended plan of study for the Major with Departmental Distinction, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp. Students may also minor in psychology. A minor is structured very much like the general psychology major, except that fewer courses are required. A psychology minor can be beneficial to anyone who values a basic understanding of behavior. Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Psychology must take a total of 18 hours distributed as follows.
Departmental Distinction. A candidate for departmental distinction must earn a 3.50/4.00 GPA in psychology courses and a 3.40/4.00 overall GPA. The actual awarding of distinction is made when credentials are evaluated for graduation. High Departmental Distinction. The candidate for high departmental distinction must complete the requirements for departmental distinction. In addition, the student must complete an independent research project in PSCH 399—Independent Research under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The student’s proposal for and final report of the independent research must be reviewed and accepted by the Departmental Honors Committee. The proposal for a high distinction project should be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies by the faculty member supervising the project. |
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